


Matrimony

by j_gabrielle



Category: S.C.I.谜案集 | S.C.I. Mystery (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Inspired By Tumblr, M/M, Marriage, Marriage of Convenience, Married to Lovers, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-09 22:06:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16457879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_gabrielle/pseuds/j_gabrielle
Summary: Zhan Yao marries Yutong on a rainy autumn morning. Soft raindrops catch in his hair as he enters the wedding hall, glistening in the flickering candlelights that light up the room. He looks up to see Yutong's eyes on him, and has the air in his lungs catch in his throat.





	Matrimony

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sarahyyy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahyyy/gifts), [thewickling (Diviana)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diviana/gifts).



> Originally posted, and inspired by [this](http://randomingoftherandomness.tumblr.com/post/179563240707/5-for-yutong-and-zhan-yao)

Zhan Yao marries Yutong on a rainy autumn morning. Soft raindrops catch in his hair as he enters the wedding hall, glistening in the flickering candlelights that light up the room. He looks up to see Yutong's eyes on him, and has the air in his lungs catch in his throat. 

He has chosen well, he thinks, Yutong doesn't look half bad standing there at the altar in his Captain's uniform. 

Zhan Yao tries for a smile when the wedding march begins, and receives one in return. From the corner of his eye, he can see Father's hard eyes watching him as if to say, 'don't you dare ruin this for our family'. Lowering his head, he looks at his bouquet, gripping hard as he finishes the remaining steps that takes him to Yutong's side.

* * *

 

Captain Bai Yutong came back from the war to the hands of the ladies, and a few gentlemen, of the ton being offered in hopes of marriage. 

"No."

"Take another look."

"No, Mama." He scoffs, tilting his head to adjust his collar, "Her eyes are too wide apart."

He sees her frown from the mirror. "That was what you said about the last five proposals..."

"And I stand by them." Yutong straightens his coat. Mama's skirts rustle when she moves to him. Her perfume fills his senses and he is immediately thrown back to being 8, and playing at her feet as she readies herself for a party.

She fusses, and Yutong lets her. "I do not like the idea of you being alone in this house." She says, "The townhouse would suit us much better. Ever since your father died..."

He stops her with a gentle hand to her shoulder. "This was home. It _is_ home to me. He is buried on the grounds here." He leans into her touch. "If I am to thrive, let it be here."

Mama sniffs, dabbing delicately at the corner of her eyes. "With someone by your side, I hope?"

"Mama!"

She smiles. "How about the son of the Zhan family? Do not think the way you seem to gravitate to his side, nor the way you seek him has escaped me. Are his eyes not too widely set apart then?"

Yutong blushes to the tips of his ears, and turns away from his laughing mother.

* * *

 

With the celebrations behind them, Zhan Yao lights the candles the wedding chambers as Yutong undresses behind a silk screen. 

"Shall I call for some food?"

Zhan Yao jumps, startling. "Food?"

"I noticed that you were not eating." Yutong steps out, now dressed in his sleep clothes. "Was it not to your liking? My mother enjoys some delicacies that may not be for everyone. Shall I call for kitchens to deliver something you would like?"

Zhan Yao blushes. "That would not be necessary." He says, licking his lips. "I am not hungry."

Yutong nods, folding his arms behind him in parade rest as they regard each other. His new husband is everything all the tittering debutantes have said he would be; handsome, honourable, and lovely. Zhan Yao knows that Yutong could have had his pick of anyone he would like, but the fact that he chose him, of all people to marry, warms him.

"Zhan Yao," Yutong says softly, "I want you to know that from this day onwards, everything I have, everything I own, is yours. You will never want for anything in the world again."

He considers this. "If I would like to continue being educated?"

"I can arrange that."

"And if I never want to see my family again?" 

Yutong cocks his head. "If that is what you want." 

Zhan Yao inhales deeply, hands clenching. "It is."

Yutong takes slow steps to him. "Then, I will arrange that to."

A quick smile grows on Zhan Yao's lips as he comes closer. A tension he did not know was building in him unravels at the sight of his husband grinning back at him. "If you are going to be so agreeable, I think this marriage malarkey is getting off to a good start."

"I have been reliably informed that I can be a complete and utter arse," Yutong laughs, "So I would not count on it, Kitten."

Zhan Yao takes a step forth. "I suppose we shall have to see then, won't we?"

* * *

 

In an unspoken agreement, they take to sharing the same bed while his mother is with them, and then when she is not, they  sleep apart and in adjoining rooms. 

Yutong does not think he could have ever miss the weight of another person in his arms as he does the nights they sleep apart. 

Zhan Yao. His husband.

In truth, Yutong has loved him from the moment he saw his years ago when their fathers had met in the study, and Zhan Yao had accompanied his father to the house. He is not sure if he remembers it, but that first sight of seeing Zhan Yao has been seared into his heart of hearts; the way the golden sunlight had catches in his hair like a halo, pale face pinched and sombre, lips in a tight unsmiling line, body held tensed like a coil. But he had been the most beautiful person Yutong had ever seen. And he had remembered that moment, had carried it with him whilst in foreign lands watching his friends die, held on to it in the face of the horrors of wars.

And when he came home, learning that Zhan Yao was still unwed, well.

There was never any chance for anyone else.

* * *

 

“Yes.”

Zhan Yao licks his lips, feeling his heart kick against his ribs. Yutong doesn’t let go of his hand. His husband takes a step to him. Somewhere in their household, someone laughs and the sound penetrates the quiet of the study.

In the dying light of the day, Yutong looks glorious, and if it were even possible, Zhan Yao thinks he swells with more love for this ridiculous man.

“Say it again, Xiao Yao. Please.” Yutong knocks their barefeet together, knees jostling, steadying hand to hip, lips so close. Sharing breath. “Tell me again.”

“Yes, Yutong,” Zhan Yao whispers unhesitatingly, “I love you. More than I thought I could. More than I could ever imagine loving anything.”

Lifting his eyes to meet his husband’s gaze, he is lightheaded and breathless at the unguarded ardour he sees there. Yutong lifts his hand to curl through his hair. As if touching him like this, for the first time in this new light, fond and exasperated and very much loved, like this, cataloguing every reaction and inflection of breath and voice and visage, is something he could see himself doing for the rest of their lives however brief or long that may be.

“You have bewitched me body and soul and I,” Zhan Yao gently tugs him closer, “I love you, I love you, I love you…”

Yutong closes the distance between their lips. Kissing him. Drowning him in this happy madness he never thought possible.

Zhan Yao responds eagerly to him. Blossoming under his tenderness. Blessed to have found this. Yutong pulls back in a lull for air, huffing a laugh against his spit slick lips.

He kisses it from him.

* * *

The happy squeals of their children tumbling around on the carpet with their father fills the room. 

"Alright, that is quite enough you three." Zhan Yao sets his book aside, pulling his daughter away from her brother. "Time for bed."

"Papa!" She whines, "I want to play!"

"And you shall. In the morning." Zhan Yao coos, smoothing her wild curls away from her eyes. He kisses her brow, gesturing for Yutong to bring their youngest along too. They find their nannies and bid them goodnight when they are taken to the nursery.

Yutong wraps an arm around him, slotting their bodies together when the only remaining light in the room is the fire. "Kitten?"

Zhan Yao quirks an eyebrow. "Oh, no."

"What? Why?"

"Kitten. You only call me Kitten when you want something from me." Zhan Yao twists in his arms to face his husband. "So, what is it? Out with it."

"Kitten," Yutong smirks, snuggling close, "I love you."

Rolling his eyes, he leans in, kissing his husband repeatedly between quiet happy hums. "And I love you too." Drawing back, Zhan Yao reaches up to tug playfully at Yutong's ear. "Now, tell me what is it you want."

"Kitten," Yutong slides a thigh between Zhan Yao's, "Don't you think three children would be perfect number to have?"

He blinks, hands on Yutong's shoulders. Emboldened by the playful tilt of Yutong's smile, he spreads his legs wider. "Well, better get started then, shall we?"

 

**Author's Note:**

> Let's file this under one of the many fandoms I never thought I'd end up writing for.  
> \--  
> I have never, will never, allow any reposting or translations of my works without my permission. All of my works will and shall only be hosted on my personal accounts on AO3 (j_gabrielle), Dreamwidth (j_gabrielle) and Tumblr (randomingoftherandomness, hardheartshere).
> 
> For those who say that I never said anything, it is clearly stated on my AO3 profile bio.
> 
> I do not have a Twitter account.
> 
> I do not have a Wattpad account.
> 
>  
> 
> **Please Do Not Repost My Fics**


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